hewitt



(No Model-v) S' F' HEWITT.

SLEIGH.

2 sheets- Sheet 1 .Patented Feb. 16, 1886.

B HWZZ I i?! ZM/l# (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. 1'. HBWITT.

. SLEIGH.

116.336,411. Patented Peb. 16, 1866.

e j( Er K e @Y d y@ m w Uff@ llNrTEn STATES PATENT EETCE.

SILAS F. HEVITT, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,411, dated February16, 1886.

Application filed December Q8, 1885. Serial No. $6,898. (Nn model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, SrLis F. Hnwrrr, a citizen of the United States.residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improvements in Sleighs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a sleigh so constructed and arranged that it canbe folded into a compact form, and thereby occupy but a small space, forstorage during the summer and when it is not required for use on theroad.

The invention consists in certain novel features of constrnction,wherebythe sleigh body and runners can be readily and quickly folded, and bywhich the several parts are securely braced when the sleigh isunfoldcd,in position for use.

rIhe invention also consists in a peculiar form of hinged knee andbracketbrace, by which the sleigh-runners are firmly sustained in anunfolded position.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l representsa folding sleigh made according to my invention, the body, runners, andbraces being shown unfolded and secured in position. Fig. 2 is a bottomplan view showing the running-gear folded under the sleigh. Fig. 3 is atop plan view showing the back folded down onto the iioor, the sidesfolded over the back, and the dash-board folded on the forward ends ofthe sides. Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the sleigh with the runnersunfolded. Fig. 5 isa similar view showing a runner with knees andbraces, folded on one side and partly folded on the other side. Fig. 6is a perspective view of the hinged knee and brace partly unfolded.

,f Referring to these drawings, the letter A y,designates thesleigh-floor, to which is hinged a folding back, B, that may be turneddown upon the door.

To the surface of the fioor,on each side of the sleigh,is secured alongitudinal strip, ct, to each of which is hinged one of the foldingside pieces,G. These hinged sides are adapted to fold down on theloweredback B, and at the rear end of each side C is a shoulder, b, that fitsagainst the vertical edges of the -baek when the parts are unfolded,said shoulder being provided with a flange, c, that Serves to brace andsupport the unfolded back.

At the forward ends of the longitudinal strips a a is a cross-piece, d,to which is hinged a folding dash-board, D, which may be turned downonto the forward ends of the folded side pieces.

The sleigh-body is supported on cross-beams E E, which project beyondthe Hoor and carry the raves e at their ends. The forward ends of theraves are connected by a cross-bar, F, to which the forward ends of therunners G are hinged.

In line with the upward-curved ends of the ruuners,and hinged to theforward ends of the raves, or to the front of the cross-bar F, arecurved braces II II, for supporting the dashboard. These curved bracesII H carry at their ends lugs f f, having apertures for receivingthumb-screws g g, by which the dashboard and its braces are detachablyconnected. By loosening the thumb-screws y g the braces H H can bedisconnected from the dash-board and folded inward, while the dashboardis allowed to fold back.

To the under side of each cross-beam E is secured a strip, K, to whichare hinged the knee L and its brace M, said strip, knee, and brace beingpreferably made of cast metal, or of malleable iron or wrought metal,having the hinges lt and lr formed integral therewith. The knee L isformed with a box portion, N, to receive the runner-standards. IVhen therunners are unfolded, the hinged knees L are secured in a verticalposition by means of thu mb-screws m, that engage apertures in the undersides of the strips K, and the hinged braces M are secured to the kneesby thumbscrews n, passed through the knees and runnerstandards.

Instead ofthe thumb-screws g, m,and n,some other suitable fastening maybe employed.

It will be seen that by the construction above described it is onlynecessary to loosen the fastenings between the runner standards, knees,and braces M, and between the knees and strips K, to enable the runnersto be folded inward beneath the sleigh-body. XVhen thus folded inward,the knees can be secured horizontally beneath the strips K by means ofthe thumb-screws n, or other fastenings. It will also be seen that thebody of the sleigh can be folded by rst turning down the back B, thenfolding the sides C C inward, and then discon IOO necting the dash D andits braces H, after which the dash will be turned down on the forwardends of the sides and the braces H will be turned in toward each other.The total height of the vehicle when thus closed or f'olded will belabout seven in ches, (m ore or less,) according to the style of sleigh.

In folding the sleigh-body the seat is pulled forward and down onthetloor under the front ends of the sides and is covered by the foldeddash. v 1

Vhen the sleigh is to be unfolded for use, the knees L are ijrst droppedto a vertical position at -right angles with the strips K, and aresecured in that position by the thumb-screws m, or other fastenings. Thehinged braces M are then allowed to drop vertically, and are.

secured ,to the knees by the thumb-screws n, or otherwise. The sleigh isnow firmly supported by its runners, and the latter are securely braced,without liability of displacement.

The dash-board will now be raised and secured to its braces H H, and thesides, back, and seat being raised into position the sleigh will beready for use.

`Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi l. Thecombinatiomwil'h asleigh-bodyhaving the cross-beams E, the frontcross-bar, F, and the raves e, connected with the beams and cross-bar,ot the runners G, hinged at their front ends to said cross-bar, theknees L, having a hinged connection with the crossbeams, the braces M,also having aliinged connection with the cross-beams, and screws m anda, for locking the knees and braces, respectively, in their unfoldedposition, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the raves e, crossbeams E, and front cross-bar,F, of a sleighbody, of the runners G, hinged at their forwardextremities to said front cross-bar, the knees L," having a hingedconnection with the cross-beams, and the braces M, also having a hingedconnection with the cross-beams, and fastening device for locking theknees and braces, respectively, in their unfolded position,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the raves e and cross-beams E of a sleigh-body,of the runners G, hinged at their forward ends, the knees L, having ahinged connection with the crossbeams, and each provided with the box N,outside its hinged point, to receive the upper ends of therunner-standards, and the braces M, also having a hinged connection withthe crossbeams, substantially as described.

4. The eombination,with asleigh-bodyhaving a folding back, B, andfolding sides C, of a rearwardlyfolding dash-board, D, adapted to folddown upon the forward endsv of the sides, substantially as described.

5. The combinatiomwith a sleigh body and runners, of a folding back,folding sides, a folding dash-board, and braces hinged to the raves ontheir connecting cross-bar and having a detachable connection with thefolding dashboard, substantially as described.

6. The combination ofthe cross-beams E E,

floor A, ha\ ing side strips, a a, and cross-bar d, the folding back B,folding sides G C, folding dash-board D, raves@ e, ci'oss-barF,hingedbraces H H,and a fastening for connecting said dash-board and braces,substantially as described.

7. The combination of the strip K, -hinged knee L, hinged brace M, andfastenings for securing said knee and brace in an unfolded position,substantially as described.

8.` The combination of the eross-bearnsE E, folding kneesLL, hingedbraces M M, runners G G, and fastenings for securing the knees andbraces, thereby securely supporting the runners in an unfolded position,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.1

srLAs F. HEWITT.

W'itnesses:v

ANDREW WARD, ROBERT HAYEs.

